Metaphorical play

A metaphor paints one concept with the attributes of another.

Cut out the following words and shuffle them around until you find some "_____" of "_____" forms that strike you. Typically the first will be a tangible (concrete, something you can touch) noun and the second will be intanglible (abstract, an idea or emotion, something you can't touch). But play around with it.

The Tangibles:

goblet
cart
sheen
museum
blizzard
garden
coffin
explosion
curse
dagger
heart
illusion
drama
ghost
forest

The Intangibles:

adventure
character
conflict
death
hell
fame
friendship
gossip
insult
hope
joy
luck
pity
popularity
wit

Write sentences -- or a poem -- for your favorites, tying the verb in with the metaphor, eg, a cauldron of something might be stirred or boiled, a basket of something might be woven or carried.

This is adapted from an exercise from You Can Write Poetry by Jeff Mock.